1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheeled carriage for converting a hand held appliance to a wheeled equivalent. More specifically, the wheeled carriage is quickly mounted to and disconnected from the appliance, so that the appliance is readily utilized either on its own or in wheeled form. The invention is used as an adjunct for hand held appliances, such as string trimmers, which have elongate handles. The invention is useful to homeowners and others charged with responsibility for using appliances such as string trimmers in maintaining residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional grounds and buildings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Development of appliances such as grass trimmers having rapidly rotating filament blades, popularly known as string trimmers, have come into widespread use. The principal application of string trimmers is to cut small areas of tall grass and weeds to the level of surrounding grass. In particular, string trimmers are used at the borders of large expanses of grass wherein the border becomes irregular in configuration due to the presence of trees, lighting poles, fences, buildings, and other tall structures. String trimmers are also used to extend the reach of lawn mowers, such as along fences and buildings at ground level, and under overhanging foliage.
While string trimmers are convenient, practical, and generally suited to the aforementioned tasks, the burden they impose on a user becomes increasingly onerous over time. Unless the user is unusually strong, he or she will become fatigued and become unable to continue or will notice that control over the device is becoming tenuous as the trimmer is used. The prior art has taken note of this problem, and has proposed wheeled supports as a solution.
However, even wheeled string trimmers and like appliances are limited in their use in that the wheels dictate where the working element such as a rotating filament or a rigid blade may be brought to bear. This is because the appliance can be pivoted about the axle, but cannot be adjusted or maneuvered readily in other ways (i.e., adjustment of prior art devices is limited to one degree of freedom). Usefulness of wheeled appliances would be greatly increased if additional adjustment and maneuverability were available. The prior art is not seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.